Purple Potatoes: A New Health Craze?

Written by: Natasha Daguio

Who knew a strange-colored starch could be good for you?

Potatoes – in French fry form – have been blamed for increasing America’s waistlines, but a new study has shown that incorporating purple potatoes into a daily diet can lower blood pressure without causing weight gain

The study, conducted by a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, fed 18 overweight and obese patients their normal, daily meal twice a day. The patients ate six to eight purple potatoes with each of their meals for four weeks before switching back to their normal diets without the potatoes.

While consuming the violet-skinned spud, on average, both the diastolic and systolic blood pressures of patients dropped between 3.5% and 4.3%. None of the subjects involved gained weight and even the patients on anti-hypertensive medications experienced lower blood pressure throughout the course of the study.

Purple potatoes have become increasingly popular and available in the past few years at chain grocery stores, as well as specialty food and farmers’ markets. The lavender tubers have higher levels of antioxidants that may protect the body’s cells from diseases. In order to capitalize on these benefits, the subjects in the study were required to microwave their potatoes instead of using other preparation methods.

In addition to the possible blood pressure benefits, red, white, brown and all other potatoes contain vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and iron. Although America chooses to fry most of its potatoes, the spud remains an important, nutritional factor in diets around the world.

The findings (unpublished as of this release) were presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Denver. Funding for the work came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s State Cooperative Potato Research Program.

Purple potatoes can be substituted in any recipe that calls for small yellow fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold.

As a reminder, always opt for color in your whole foods.  Modified, mass produced foods do not contain the same nutrient content as organic, local produce.  Check your local farmers markets, they might just be in stock!